Electronic equipment and devices in general are being incorporated into increasingly smaller packages. In the aviation industry, instrumentation and other electronic equipment operates in an ever more integrated and autonomous fashion. Such equipment, termed “avionics”, or the electronic instrumentation devices used in an aviation setting (including electronic sensors, communications equipment, navigation equipment, and displays), is therefore also subject to trends in miniaturization and integration, as used in aircraft of all sizes.
Pricing of electronic equipment for aircraft is competitive, and not all aircraft require the same combination of instrumentation options. To lower costs and increase the number of end user options, more flexibility in avionic equipment packaging is needed, as well as consistency. In response to these needs, avionics have moved toward modular installations. For example, a communication system, a transponder, and a navigation system can each be manufactured as separate modules, which are individually selected for an aircraft based on cost and the needs of the particular application. Modular designs are individually replaceable, which facilitates aftermarket upgrades, and inexpensive replacement/repair operations.
Because of the limited space available on any given aircraft, designers and manufacturers tend to locate avionic modules in areas of the aircraft where space is at less of a premium. Areas commonly used for avionics installation include the rear of the aircraft, or the nose compartment. Because the pilot or other operator is typically located remotely from the modules, controls and data displays for the modules mounted to the aircraft instrument panel are typically linked to the operator through various communications media, such as wires, fiber optics, and the like.
Space constraints are accommodated by locating electronic modules in remote areas of the aircraft. However, such locations make installation, repair, and replacement more difficult, and more expensive. Additionally, when avionics modules are located remotely from the aircraft instrument panel, longer communication lines are needed to exchange data and commands with the operator in the cockpit. Longer communication lines increase the difficulty of installation, as well as the risk of communication line failure due to vibration, physical movement, and other factors.
In some aircraft, the avionics modules are mounted directly to the instrument panel, with displays and controls located on the front of the module, similar to the way stereo equipment is installed in an automobile. Such configurations reduce problems due to long communication lines, however, other limitations arise.
When avionics modules are mounted directly to the instrument panel, space considerations become more significant due to the presence of aircraft controls directly behind the panel, such as yoke controls and ventilation ducts, for example. Displays and controls for the modules must also be located in a relatively limited space below the top of the instrument panel, so as not to impair the pilot's vision. Additionally, other items mounted to the instrument panel must be avoided when mounting displays and controls. Thus, fitting a group of modules, displays, and controls within a given area on the instrument panel requires a flexibility in mounting configurations that is lacking in current designs.
Another difficulty is encountered when electronic equipment contained within avionics modules requires repair/replacement. Each avionics module is typically of a different size and shape, and involves a different mounting apparatus. The technician is never sure of what he will find until viewing the aircraft in person, and even then, it is almost guaranteed that removing modules will be a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. Usually, several fasteners must be removed, cables re-routed, and other modules may also need removal to access desired portions of the particular module in need of repair. Finally, using many different sizes of modules increases inventory costs and tooling costs.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for apparatus, modules, methods, and systems which lend themselves to facilitating repair and replacement of electric equipment modules, such as the avionics modules used in aircraft. A mounting approach for these modules, as well as consistent design for the modules themselves, would be especially valuable. Such an approach should also provide enhanced mounting system consistency, repeatability in repair tasks, a reduction in tooling and inventory costs, and flexibility with respect to locating displays and controls associated with various modules.